Sony XBR65X850D vs XBR65X750D Review

Sony XBR65X850D and XBR65X750D are parts of Sony’s 2016 4K TV lineup. 3D technology is a major downside of them. But like other most of 4K TVs that released in 2016, XBR65X850D series also support HDR (High Dynamic Range). But for Sony XBR65X750D, at the moment, it doesn’t support HDR. So, to be able to play HDR, you must upgrade its firmware on the internet. As we know, HDR is the main focus of 4K TVs released in 2016. This technology is originally used in Digital Camera for delivering clear and more detail picture quality shadow or sun highlighted effect. Of course, this will offer new experience when enjoying 4K entertainment in your home. In the market, XBR65X850D is sold about a hundred dollars more expensive than XBR5X750D. Their difference in price certainly is not too significant for their price range. So, what features that offered by each and what are the advantages of XBR65X850D as the higher series than XBR65X750D.

The differences

As mentioned above, although both of Sony XBR65X750D and XBR65X850D claimed support HDR, but at the moment, Sony X750D doesn’t support HDR 10. But for you who are interested with XBR65X700D, you don’t need to worry because you can still play HDR 10 contents on its screen by upgrading its firmware via internet. We assume both of them can play HDR contents, with the different specs that offered by them, of course their HDR performance is also different. Let’s discuss one by one their difference in specs that have big impact on their overall performance.

Backlighting Technology

The first difference between them is about their backlight technology where XBR65X850D uses Edge Lit while XBR65X750D uses Direct LED. Theoretically, it has an impact on black level and black uniformity of the picture and TV with Direct LED backlight should has better black uniformity and deeper black level. But in reality, black uniformity of XBR65X850D is better than XBR65X750D as well as black level and contrast, they also better. This is caused by the different level technology of both. With better black uniformity and deeper black level, at least XBR65X850D has one point ahead over XBR65X750D.

Color Technology

For delivering wider range of color gamut, Sony XBR65X850D is powered by TriLuminos Display while XBR65X750D is not. The difference in this technology certainly has great an impact on the color gamut coverage between them. According to the trustworthy unofficial source, XBR65X850D with TriLuminos Display can delivers more than 93% DCI P3 Color space while XBR65X750D only delivers about 82% DCI P3 color gamut. Of course, this has a big impact on the accuracy of color of the picture produced by them especially when it is displaying HDR contents that needs more than 90% DCI P3 color space.

From these two point differences between Sony XBR65X750D and XBR65X850D, they have a big impact on the picture quality that produced by them particularly when they are displaying HDR Contents that required higher standardization of picture quality.

As mentioned, both of these Sony’s 2016 4K TVs already support HDR 10 formats, although for X750D, a firmware update is required. And of course, to display HDR 10 fully, a 4K TVs must meet the certain criteria that set for HDR 10. You need to know, HDR 10 is an open source HDR format initiated by UHD Alliance, a partnerships of some 4K TV manufactures like Samsung, Sony, LG, Vizio and many more to get a standardization of HDR. This is very important considering there are many 4K TVs that labeled by HDR but their display specs still far from the actual quality of the HDR that intended. So, for minimizing the consumer confusion in buying HDR 4K TVs, UHD Alliance have set the standardization of HDR 10 that should be met by a 4K TV to get Ultra HD certification. With other words, there is only 4K TVs with Ultra HD premium label that can display HDR 10 contents fully and properly without any issues. Let’s discuss further whether both of XBR65X850d or XBR65X750d meet all of these standardizations or not.

To get Ultra HD Premium Certification, a 4K TV must meet certain standardization of HDR 10. About contrast, the minimum standardization that should be met is 0.05 nits of peak brightness and 1000 nits of peak brightness. In term of color, to meet the standardization of HDR10, a 4K TV must cover at least 90% of DCI P3 Color space and support 10 bit panel. Let’s start from black level, peak brightness and contrast.

In term of black level, the deepest black level reached by XBR65X850D is 0.084 nits with 860: 1 of contrast ratio while XBR65X750D is 0.119 nits with 1248:1 of contrast ratio. This course is still far from 0.05 nits of black level set by UHD alliance for HDR 10. As well as about peak brightness, while UHD Alliance set minimum criteria is 1000 nits of peak brightness, Sony XBR65X850D only reach 422 nits of peak brightness and XBR65X750D is lower, that is only 340 nits of peak brightness. With display specs delivered by both Sony XBR65X850D and XBR65X750D, of course these values are still far from the minimum standardization of HDR 10. This means, in term of contrast, black level and peak brightness, both of them cannot display HDR fully.

Moving on color performance, UHD Alliance set 90% DCI P3 color gamut and 10 bit panel. The good news, both of them support 10 bit panel. But in term of color gamut they offer different performance caused the use of TriLuminos Display on XBR65850D. Color gamut delivered by XBR65X850D is more than 93% of DCI P3 color space while without TriLuminos Display, XBR65X750D only cover about 82% of DCI P3 color space. In term of color gamut and depth of color, Sony XBR65X850D meets the standardization of HDR 10 format set by UHD Alliance while this is not for XBR65X750D.

Although both of them already support HDR, with display specs offered by them, of course we cannot expect much about HDR performance reached by them especially for XBR65X750D. You certainly will be disappointed if your main consideration in buying TV is about HDR performance. But considering their price, it is understandable considering there are not many 4K TVs in its price that can display HDR 10 contents fully.

The Similarities

IPS Panel

Both of Sony XBR65X750D and XBR65X850D use IPS Panel. This causes black level, peak brightness, and contrast reached by them is poor. But in other hand, the use of IPS panel makes both of them offer wider range of viewing angle. If on 4K TVs with VA panel, the contrast and color looks degraded started at 20 degrees off center and both of these Sony 65 inch offer more than that. On the screen of XBR65X850D, the contras and color will look degraded started at 36 degrees off center and front while XBR65X750D offers better, color and contrast look degraded started 48 degrees off center an front. The use of Direct LED backlighting makes XBR65X750D wider viewing angle than XBR65X850D that use Edge LED backlighting. Separated from their difference, this certainly will give you more flexibility when you place your TV in your room to get best viewing.

Motion Control

Sony XBR65X850D and XBR65X750D offer virtually identical performance when controlling motion blur. This has to do when they are displaying video contents with a lot of fast scenes. Behind them, there is MotionFlow XR960 technology based on native 120 Hz refresh rate panel. The resulted, there are no many motion blurs noticeable when they are used for watching sports or fast movies. The great performance in controlling judder is also shown by both when controlling 24p contents from Blu-ray player or via 60i from Cable/Satellite TV or 60p signals from PC or Satellite. This means there is no judder when they play these all of these contents.

UHD Up-scaling

Whether it is entry level or top level Sony 4K TVs lineup including XBR65X850D and XBR65X700D, it offers virtually identical great performance in UHD Up-scaling. Combination between X1 engine and 4K X reality Pro engine behind them, both of them do a good job in up-scaling to 4K quality, even for their price range can be said the best. On the screen of XBR65X850D or XBR65X750D, you can enjoy movies in 4K quality smoothly and clearly from HDR sources like Cable/Satellite TV or even from lower resolution 480p like DVDs. Moreover if the source is 1080p like Blu-ray, the result looks much better, very clear and smooth and not much different to native 4K sources.

Smart TV

For offering attractive and useful smart TV platform, Sony XBR65X850D and XBR65X750D feature Google Android TV as their smart TV platform. This is the second years since Sony decided to replace their origin Smart TV platform called “Sony Entertainment Network” with Google Android. One of the advantage, most of the people has been familiar with this OS on their smart phone. So, for operating, this is not also much different when you are operating your android Smart phone. To download your favorite apps, contents, or games, you need login with your Google account and search them on Google Play Store. Additionally, there is also Google Cast as the screen mirroring app, Google Voice Search, Web Browser, VoD Service, and many more.

For you games mania, both of these Sony XB65X850D and XBR65X700D feature “Play Station Now” app. This allows you to Play Station 3 Games directly without PlayStation 3 console. You just need pair your Dual Shock Controller and your TV and find and stream tons of PlayStation 3 from PS3 Rentals that available in the internet. Although without a console, you still enjoy to play PlayStation 3 games as fast and responsive as using a console.

Sound Quality

Both of these Sony 65 Inch HDR 4K TVs are equipped with 2 channels speaker system with 20 watts total power output. There is no built-in woofer that improves bass performance. And with audio equipment like that, of course we cannot expect impressive sound quality from them. With other words, their sound quality is very poor. But even so, for improving sound quality of a TV certainly is very easy. Add a standalone Sound bar or other audio system, the issue of them in term of sound quality is solved.

Connectivity

Both of these XBR65X850D and XBR65X750D are equipped with 4 HDMI ports support HDCP 2.2 and 3 USB Ports as their major connectivity. A bit difference is about where their HDMI ports are installed. All of HDMI ports of XBR65X850D are installed on side while for XBR65X750D, 3 HDMI ports are installed on side while one port is installed on rear. In addition to HDM and USB Ports, there are also 1 Ethernet, 1 Component in, 2 Composite in (AV), 1 RF (terrestrial), 1 Audio Output (Headphones), 1 Digital Audio Output (Optical). With all of these connectivity ports, this course is quite enough to cover your other electronic devices.

Conclusion

The type of backlighting and TriLuminos display are the main difference between Sony XBR65X850D and XBR65X750D. As mentioned, XBR65X750D use direct LED while XBR65X850D use Edge Led backlighting. The result, X850D offers better black level and peak brighter but otherwise, XBR65X750D offers slight wider viewing angle. The second main difference about TriLuminos Display makes XBR65X850D offers wider range of color gamut than XBR65X750D.

Although HDR is the main focus both of these Sony XBR65X850D and XBR65X750D, but as we have discussed above, the display specs delivered by each of them is still not quite feasible to display HDR contents fully particularly about their black level, peak brightness and contrast ratio. In term of color, with TriLuminos Display, XBR65X850D can cover more than 90% DCI P3 color space set by UHD Alliance for minimum color gamut. But this doesn’t apply for XBR65X750D that doesn’t support wider color gamut. Overall, if your main consideration in buying 4K TVs is about HDR, of course both of them are not the best choice for you. In the price range of XBR65X850D, there is Samsung UN65KS8000 that offers full HDR performance but with poor side viewing angle, while in the price range of XBR65X750D, there is no 4K TVs that offers full HDR performance.

So, Should I buy Sony XBR65X850D or XBR65X750D? This course depends on your budgets and needs. If you don’t mind to spend about a hundred dollar more of your money, of course XBR65X850D is better choice for you because it offers much better picture quality than XBR65X750D. But if your budget is limited, Sony XBR65X750D is also not a bad choice. Although its HDR performance is poor but we also must remember about its cheap price. Basically, their difference in price about $600 is comparable with the difference in performance that offered by each of them.

I just bought the Sony 65″ XBR750 at USD 850 (exbhition unit). I think it was a good price. But im a little bit concern about your review regarding HDR content. Do you think for the price i paid is a good tv?

also is it possible to update / improve via firmware, the colour gammut of the tv?

Of course what you have paid is good for this TV. But as mentioned, HDR performance of XBR65X750D is limited. But it is not alone considering there are only top models X930D/X940D or Z9D series which can display HDR 10 contents fully. For a while, there is no firmware update that improve color gamut.

www.4ktvcomparison.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com